The archival turn in modernist studies has been closely intertwined with the publication of private correspondence. From the complicated saga of the T.S. Eliot correspondence editions to the recently completed Letters of Samuel Beckett, the publication of letters continues to bring new insight into the relationships, creative networks and compositional practices of literary modernists. The next decade will bring new editions of letters by authors including Dorothy Richardson, James Joyce and Wyndham Lewis, as well as innovative digital publications such as the Modernist Archives Publishing Project.

Published correspondence is shaped by an editorial process that involves selection, annotation, transcription and ethical concerns. Editors are faced with numerous questions: Which letters shed light on the author’s work? Can some letters be read as creative texts? Will a critical apparatus elucidate or stifle? How best to present fragments and lacunae? In answering these questions the editor plays both a practical and an interpretative role, all the while engaged in a game of diplomacy with publishing houses and literary estates. Their choices alter biographical narratives and direct the flow of future scholarship.

This one day workshop seeks to bring together students and scholars with interests in archival research and textual editing, focusing on the theme of editing modernist letters. It opens up the questions and challenges of the editorial process through a combination of hands-on workshop sessions and keynote papers, culminating in a roundtable discussion. The workshop is supported by the Samuel Beckett Research Centre.

11.30 Keynote from Nicola Wilson, ‘Feminism, Metadata, and Labours Lost at the Modernist Archives Publishing Project’

12.30pm Lunch

1.30 Workshop session on James Joyce’s letters, led by William Brockman

3.30 Coffee break

4.00 Workshop session on Samuel Beckett’s letters, led by Mark Nixon

5.00 Wine break

5.30 Roundtable

-6.15

Notes on Speakers:

Joanne Winning (Birkbeck, University of London) is editing Dorothy Richardson’s letters as part of the Richardson Editions Project. There has been a resurgence of interest in Richardson as a pioneering modernist writer, and this AHRC funded project will produce ten volumes of scholarly editions of her letters and fiction.

Nicola Wilson (University of Reading) is a specialist in publishing history and print culture, and a member of the Modernist Archives Publishing Project team. MAPP is an innovative digital resource that includes the archives of publishing houses such as the Hogarth Press and Chatto & Windus.

William Brockman (Penn State University) is part of editorial team for the forthcoming OUP editions of James Joyce’s unpublished letters. His workshop session will include will include hands on group work using facsimile copies of several Joyce letters.

Mark Nixon (University of Reading) is director of the Beckett International Foundation and editor of the forthcoming edition of Beckett’s German Diaries. His workshop session will focus on a selection of Beckett’s letters from the Beckett archive at Reading.

A huge thank you to all who joined us at the Beckett & Politics conference, we hope that that the papers and keynotes opened up as many new avenues of inquiry as possible and we look forward to continuing the debates and conversations that arose throughout the conference.

If you would like to get in touch for queries, details or further discussions, the organisers are happy to answer email correspondence:

Beckett Week at the University of Reading (2-5 November 2016)
The Beckett at Reading team is happy to announce the following events, which will take place during our ‘Beckett Week’:Lisa Dwan: ‘A Beckett Actor’ – The Billie Whitelaw Lecture (6pm, 2 November 2016)

Acclaimed Beckett actress, Lisa Dwan, who has performed in Beckett’s plays across the globe, will speak about performing in Beckett and about her mentor Billie Whitelaw, Beckett’s favourite actress. Lisa met Billie when she was preparing for a production of Beckett’s challenging play, Not I, and Billie passed her notes from Beckett on to Lisa. We are delighted to welcome Lisa Dwan back to Reading, following her virtuoso performance of a selection of Beckett’s prose for performance entitled No’s Knife at London’s Old Vic Theatre. The lecture will be followed by a Wine Reception, and the Launch of the Billie Whitelaw Exhibition, which will for the first time show items from Billie Whitelaw’s Beckett Theatrical Collection, acquired by the Beckett International Foundation last year. Registration and Details: http://store.rdg.ac/LisaDwan

Beckett and Politics Conference (3-4 November 2016)

Organised by the Beckett at Reading Postgraduate Group (BARP), the exciting theme of ‘Beckett and Politics’ will be discussed through panel
presentations and keynotes by Matthew Feldman, Elizabeth Barry and Daniela Caselli. All scholars, students, and enthusiasts are welcome.

A tribute day for the late, much loved Mary Bryden, Professor of French Studies at the University of Reading, and Co-Director of the Beckett International Foundation, who died a year ago. The day will start (at 12 noon) with a lecture by Emeritus Professor Jim Knowlson on Beckett and Billie Whitelaw. In the afternoon, there will be an academic panel which will reflect on aspects of Mary’s research in French Studies and Beckett Studies. This will be followed by personal and musical tributes from Mary’s colleagues and friends, and readings from Mary’s own creative writing. The event is free and will include lunch and a drinks reception at the end of the day. Registration and Details: http://store.rdg.ac/MaryBrydenTributeDayEvent
All events take place in the Minghella Building, Whiteknights Campus, The University of Reading. Registration is necessary for all events – please do so as soon as possible so we can book catering as necessary.
For queries about any of these events, please email Mark Nixon (m.nixon@reading.ac.uk)
We look forward to seeing you; with best wishes from all of us The Beckett at Reading Team